Arriving home with the newborn generates many doubts to the parents. In the hospital there was not much to do because the baby slept almost at all hours, and at most he did a quick wash because of the fact that the cord has not yet fallen, so when seeing you alone with the baby the first ones appear questions.
The most common are those related to care: when they cut their nails, if they have to cut their hair, when to put moisturizer, how often to bathe them, how to do it, etc. With the intention of grouping all the advice on that in a single entry today we offer the best tips for newborn care.
1. The cure of the umbilical cord
The umbilical cord, when it stops receiving blood supply, is mummified and ends up falling after a few days. How to cure it depends a little on the hospital in which the baby is born, because there are those who recommend using alcohol of 70ºC, there are those who say only soap and water and some say that there is no need to do anything.
All solutions are correct, because in a review of studies conducted by WHO in 2004, which included 22 studies with 8,959 babies, they saw that it was indifferent how the navel will heal when comparing the use of antiseptic with dry cord care. So deep down it doesn't matter how to cure it (as long as povidone iodine is not used). In case it smells bad or suppurates, it is necessary to take it to the pediatrician.
In Babies and more, why doesn't my baby like bathing?2. The clothes in the first days
Shelter it? Do not shelter it? During the first days it is interesting to have the baby relatively warm, because it comes from the mother's womb where it was at a high temperature compared to the outside. Do not overdo it, but do not put it exactly as we do, or if it goes the same way, be clear that we are in an environment where it cannot be cold. Once the first days pass, it is often said that you have to dress them with a sleeve more than us.
It is a way of explaining that they would have to go the same as adults, but with one more fine capita, because they do not regulate the temperature like us and, in addition, they do not have the amount of fat that we do have and that in some way protects us (and I don't talk about being overweight or anything like that, but rather that they have very thin skin and we, even thin, not so much).
The ideal in this regard is to touch the neck and back area. This way we will know if they are comfortable or if they are cold or hot.
3. The bathroom
For a long time, babies bathed every day for hygiene as well as for what they were relaxed before going to sleep. The reality is that not everyone relaxes (many have a pipe and get out of the tub more awake than they entered) and bathing them every day may be too much. And is that the skin dries outIt eliminates the natural bacteria we have and many babies suffer the consequences afterwards, in the form of eczema and skin infections. Come on, what is recommended is bathe the baby every two or three days, and on the days you don't bathe him make some diaper change with soap and water.
How to bathe the baby? With the water at adequate temperature (about 36 degrees), in a place where it is not cold and with everything ready for later. Now summer is coming and there is not much problem, but in the cold season it is interesting to dry the baby well, especially in the folds, and then dry it and dress it quickly.
4. The cream after bath
In the same way that the bath is usually done every day, or was done every day, the cream after bath seems also something that should be done yes or yes. The reality is that the first days are interesting, because in many cases babies "peel", but after the first days a baby does not usually need creams or oils or prevention of ass. According to the AAP (American Pediatric Association) “A baby does not need to be regularly put on creams, oils or talc”.
This does not mean that it is bad, but only a practical and economic issue. If the baby's skin is fine, nothing is necessary. If it is a little dry in some areas, then you put baby cream (cream better than oil, which moisturizes less) in those areas, or if you want the whole body until there are no dry areas.
As advice, if you take the time to put the cream to give the baby some massageI would do it every day, but not for the cream, but for the massage. It is a moment of affection for him and those moments are very important for both.
5. Nail care
Nothing special needs to be done on the nails beyond cutting them when necessary. Many parents believe that they cannot be cut until babies have a month, or a specific age. The truth is there is no minimum age to cut a baby's nails. It is more a matter of logic. If the baby has long nails as they are cut, be as old as he is.
It can be done with a file or it can be done with round-tipped scissors and it is better to do it at some time that is relatively quiet. Anyway, we have to hold his hand well, lest a movement lead us to cut what we should not.
In Babies and more Guide to cut the baby's nails (and not die trying)6. The eyes, ears and nose
With eyes, ears and nose, nothing needs to be done, but in case it is needed, it is worth knowing how to do it. If there are legañas, which at the beginning can be habitual because the tear ducts do not always work well and do not clean the eye as they should, they are cleaned with a little serum and with a gauze that cleans from the inside out and then throwing it away (just one pass by gauze).
If we see wax, just clean the part of wax we see, the outside, and better not to use sticks. As we said a few months ago, the best way to clean the ears is with the elbow. That is, do not put anything inside.
In the case of the nose, if we notice that he has mucus and does not breathe well, since they do not remove the mucus voluntarily, it is recommended to use physiological serum. The least aggressive way to do this is to throw it little by little, drop by drop, through the nostrils, so that the mucus is diluted and more easily out of the nose or swallowed.
7. How to clean the diaper area
As I mentioned before, the ideal is to make at least one change a day with soap and water. If they can be more, then more, it always cleans better than wipes. The direction we use to clean is important, because depending on how we do it we will take the remains to the place where we remove our hand. It is important, then, to do it from the genitals to the anus. From top to bottom, so that the feces do not go to the genitals, but quite the opposite.
8. When the ass is cooked
If after cleaning it is not irritated, you do not need to put anything. If it is irritated, we put paste in the water in diaper changes until the perianal area is again pink and sanita. One way to make homemade baby cream is using a mixture of cornstarch and olive oil, which also works.
In Babies and more Frequent spots, granites and birthmarks on the skin of newborns9. Washing baby clothes
Babies' skin is quite delicate and usually responds easily to any "aggression." Surely you will have noticed that if you take them naked our fingers are marked for a while. To avoid possible reactions, it is advisable to wash the baby's clothes separately, make sure that it clears well and if possible do not use fabric softener, because it causes many allergic skin reactions (pimples, redness, etc.). It is convenient to do the same with your sheets and blankets and with ours if the child ends up in our bed or takes a nap in it.
10. What to do with milk crust?
The milk crust is the scab that comes out to infants. That's why it's called that (nothing to do with breast milk). It is an aesthetic problem, a seborrheic dermatitis that does not produce any symptoms and, as such, is only removed if desired (unless there are signs of infection). If you want to remove it, what is usually recommended is to use olive, almond or baby oil, applying it on the head for a while. That oil massage softens the scabs and so, half an hour later, they jump when they bathe and pass a sponge over their heads. It is done slowly, with love, and without waiting for everything to fall in a day (a few fall every time it is done).
11. Cut or not cut hair
The baby's haircut is also done for aesthetics. In the first months, much of the baby's hair usually falls and many are practically bald. Then, around six months, the final hair starts to come out. Cutting it will not make the hair come out stronger, so it is only done if the parents believe that the baby will be better with short hair. For this, scissors with the round tip must be used (the blade is totally discouraged and the hair clipper can harm her) and keep the baby calm so as not to harm her.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Newborn care
